Roller bearing assembling machine



Fel. 1s, 1936.

F. KETCHAM ET AL ROLLER BEARING ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed March 30, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 18, 1936.y F, KETCHAM lF AL Y I 2,031,417

ROLLER BEARING ASSEMBLING MACHINE Fi'led March so, 193:5 5 sheets-sheet 2 Y El xNvENToR.

Feb. 18, 1936. F. KETCHAM ET Al. K 2,031,417 v ROLLER BEARING ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed March 30, 1935 5 SheetsL-Sheet 3 :g1-. Ei-

INVENTOR5. Fran/f /Yee77d2y. Georg: E ,5l/7712.

Feb. 18,1936. F. KETCHAM ET Al. 2,031,417.

ROLLER BEARING ASSEMBLING MACHINE l Filed March 3o, 1953 5 sheets-sheet 4 Fra?? /f6 C 4f/. Georgi L". V777.

Feb. 18, 1936. l' F. KETcHAM 'Er Al. 2,031,417

` ROLLER BEARING' ASSEMBLING'-MACHINE I Filed March so, 1955 5 sheets-snee; 5

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ATTORNEYS.

ISU'

Patented Feb. 18, '19,36

UNITED srATEs PATENT oFEicE norma BEARING A'ssEMLmG MAomNE Frank Ketcham, Dearborn. and George E. Dunn,

Detroit, Mich., assignors to The Universal Products Co., Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application March 30, 1933, Serial No. 663,444

17 Claims. (Cl. 29-84) ing units, and to provide a roller bearing assembling machine of simple and compact character which is free from intricate and delicate parts so that a minimum of trouble will be errperienced in its operation.

vAn illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the improved machine, a portion of the front panel thereof being broken away to show the interior construction. l

Fig. 2 is a view in side lelevation ofthe same.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in top plan of the same with a part of the hopper and discharge conduit thereof shown in horizontal section.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentaryview, partly in elevation and partly in section, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated; Y

Fig, 6 is an enlarged sectional view-taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 7 is a view in face elevation of an outer bearing member with a series of rollers disposed about the inner periphery thereof.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional'view taken on the line 9--9 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line Iii-I0 of Fig. 9 with the axially movable roller assembling mandrelshown in position for having the rollers assembled therearound.

Fig. 11 is a similar view, but with the mandrel moved to the position to insert the assembled""" rollers into a bearing member, such bearing member being shown in position.

Fig. l2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, showing the roller magazine and surrounding parts.

In the construction shown in the drawings, the improved machinel is assembled on a table or frame comprising a horizontally disposed top plate I5 of substantially rectangular shape, supported by depending legs I6 disposed at the`four corners thereof. A horizontally disposed shelf Il is secured to the legs I6 in spaced relation, below the top I5 upon which the motor drive units are mounted, and a. vertically disposed front panel I8 closes the space between the top I5 and shelf 4I'l at the front side of the machine.

The improvedV roller bearing assembling ma'.- 5 chine comprises a shallow annular hopper, generally'desig'nated as I9 in Fig. 1, which is formed by a vertically disposed stationary annular rim 20, a cover plate 2 I, and a stationarybase member 422. The base 22 is provided with-,a depending 10 tubular neck 23, the lower end ofz'fwhich is securely held in a mounting bracket 24 by a set screw 25. The hopper is provided with a rotatable'bottom 26 mounted at the top end of a vertically disposed shaft 2l which fis journaled in 15 opposed taper roller bearings 28. and 29, which are assembled in a cup-shaped member 30. The lower or base end of the cup:- is exteriorly threaded for engaging complementary threads formed on the interior of the neck 23 at the 20 lower end thereof. A nut3I is threaded on. the shaft 21 immediately below the cup 30 for adjusting and retaining the opposed taper roller bearings 28 and 29 with their respectivebearing raceways. y 25 The shaft 21 is of reduced diameter immediately below the threaded portion which receives the nut 3| and extends downwardly through an opening 32 formed in the top I5 and the lower end thereof carries a horizontally disposed belt pulley 30 33 rigidly aflixed thereto for receiving a V-shaped drive belt 34. The drive belt 34 is given a quarter turn to pass over and be driven by a vertically positioned'belt pulley 35 which is rigidly aflixed toa horizontally disposed counter-shaft 36. I'he 35 countershat 36 is journaled in bearings 31 and 38 carried at the lower end of depending brackets 39 and 40 respectively which are rigidly secured to the underside of the .top member I5.

Rotation is imparted to the counter-shaft 36 40 by an electric motor 4I mounted on the shelf I'l, the drive of which is imparted through a chain i2-and sprocket wheels 43 and 44 mounted on the motor armature shaft and countershaft 3 respectively.

The side wall 23 of the hopper, at a point iosely adjacent to the top surface of the revolving bottom 26, is provided with a tangentially, disposed opening for receiving one end of a. roller discharge conduit 45. Means are provided immediately in front of the opening for controlling thevfl''w ofirollers into the discharge conduit A45, which comprises a horizontally rotatable disc 46 having a finger or lug 41 thereon which protrudes into the pathway of the rollers being fed to the discharge conduit, the disc 46l being positioned in a horizontally disposed slot formed in the hopper side wall 20. Means are provided for V rotating the disc 46, and comprise a vertically disposed shaft 48, the lower end of which is BCIv bummed m a summe bearing assembly as. The disc 46 and sha'ft 48 are driven by a link belt 59 which passes around the sprocket on the shaft 48 and around a similar sprocket 5| rigidly aillxed to the upper end of the shaft 21 immediately beneath the hopper bottom 26.

The conduit 45 which receives rollers 52 as they are discharged from the hopper by centrifugal action, is made in sections with suitable collars 53 and 54 so that it may be readily removed in case of jamming or other trouble which interrupts the flow of rollers therethrough.

As shown in Figs. and 11, the other end of the .conduit 45 terminates at, and is supported by an upstanding bracket 55 which carries a plate 56 rigidly secured thereto by screws 51, a slot being provided at the end of the plate 56 adjacent to the terminating end of the conduit 45, so that rollers passing endwise through the conduit in end to end abutting relationship are projected across the slot Aand strike against a closed end wall to stop further axial movement of the roller.

Means are provided for engaging the rollers projected into the slot-and forcing them down- -wardly in a substantially vertically disposedpassageway and comprise a pair of depending fingers 58 and 59 which are rigidly secured to the ends of horizontally disposed rocker arms 69 and 6| respectively, which are journaled on a cross shaft 62. The shaft 62 is supported by-an upstanding bracket 63, the lower end of which is rigidly mounted to the top plate I5 and the upper end of which is bifurcated to form spaced parallel arms 64 and 65, which receive the rocker varms therebetween", and in the upper ends of which the shaft 62 is supported.

The rocker arms 69 and 6| are adapted to have individual and independent movement from a single or common source of actuation and which is secured by a transversely disposed yoke member 86, which is pivoted medially of its ends on a pin 61, the ends of the yoke arms being bifurcated so as to be of uptanding U-shape to embrace horizontally disposed rigidly mounted pins 68 and 69 mounted in the ends of the rocker arms 69 and 6I respectively which are opposite to the ends having the fingers 58 and 59.

The yoke member 66 is pivoted to the upper end of a push rod 19, the lower end of which is threaded to receive a pair of nuts 1| and axially bored to receive the upper end of an axially disl posed, downwardly projecting pin 12. The lower end of the pin 12 is slidably received in an axially disposed bore 18 of a push rod 14. The push rods 19 and 14 are normally held in spaced relation, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, by a helical compression spring 16, the upper end of which surrounds the lower end of the push 'rod 19 and bears against the adjusting nut 1|, and the lower end of which similarly surrounds the upper end ofpush rod 14 and bears against a nut 11 which is threaded on the top end thereof.

Axial movement isimparted to the two part push rod assembly in an upward direction-by a .cam18' which isxed to a horizontally journaled counter-shaft 19.

.- `The push rod androcker arms. are normally yieldingiy urged downward by helical tension springs 89 and 8|, the upper end of which are attached to the pins 98 and 69, respectively, and .thelower ends of which are anchored to horizontally disposed brackets 82 and 88 which are informed on'the bifurcated ends- 64 and 95 respectivelsg. of the supporting bracket 93.k

The counter-shaft 19 is journaled at opposite ends in the lower ends of depending brackets 94 and 85, the upper ends of which are rigidly secured to the underside of the top plate I5. Rotation is imparted to the counter-shaft 19 by a belt 86 which passes around 'a pulley 81 fixed on the counter-shaft 89 and a similar pulley wheel xed to the counter-shaft 19.

As the rollers are forced downwardly by the vfingers 58 and 59 of the rocker arms, they are deflected by the sloping end surface 91 of a block 88 which is rigidly fastened to the bracket 55 by screw 89. 'I'he end of the block 89 having the sloping surface 91, is of substantially horizontal V- shape, as shown in Figs. 9 and 12, and the sloping surface 91 co-acts with one end 99 of a horizontally disposed slide plate member 9|, which is normally urged toward the block 88 by a helical compression spring 92. One end of the spring 92 abuts against a fixed block 98 and the other end thereof bears against an upstandingstud 94 riveted to the top surface of the slide plate 9 I. A set screw 95 is threaded into a fixed block 96, for adjustably positioning the end 99 with respect to the sloping lupper surface 91 of block 88, so as to provide a restricted passageway of slightly smaller 'size than the diameter of rollers 52, thus causing the slide plate 9| to be moved slightly against the action of spring 92 when the rollers 52 are forced down the passageway by the ngers 58 and 59. The blocks 98 and 99 are joined to each other by top plate 98 and rigidly secured by screws 99 and |99.

A horizontally disposed passageway which forms a magazine I 9| is provided between the bottom f surface of the slide plate 9| and the top surface the outer end of the nxed rod m and bears between the crow head |95 and an adjustable nut I 98 which is threaded on the end of the rod for varying the tension on the spring |91.

A vertically disposed slot |99 is provided in the block |92, the upper end of which communicates with the magazine |9| and the lower end of which discharges into a box or container I I9 so as to take care of the overflow of rollers from the magazine when a certain predetermined number have been forced therein and thus caused the follower |94 to be pushed back'against the action of the spring |91 until the top end of the slot |99 is uncovered.

Rollers are fed out of the magazine |9I by the follower |94 which pushes the rollers toward the block 89. ri'he V-shaped end of the block 88 has its lower sloping surface I in spaced relation to a complementary surface l I2 formed on the block I 92 and the apex of the V-shaped end of the block 88 is positioned above the horizontal centerline of the magazine |9| so that when rollers in the magazine are pushed toward the block 89, they will have a tendency to feed downwardly into the slot I|8 formed between the surfaces III and II2. The vertical edge of the blo'ck |92 adjacent the surface I2 is in spaced parallel relation to a complementary surface of the bracket 5.5 to form a Vlli vertically disposed slot I 3. the lower end of which is in registry with a similar slot formed in a cylindrical bushing ||4 which is rigidly mounted in the supporting bracket 55.

The bushing ||4 is adapted to receive the enlarged shank ||5 having a' horizontally disposed mandrel I6 threaded thereinto, the outer surface of which is serrated and in concentrically spaced relation to the interior of the bushing, a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the rollers 52.

Ihe shank or head |5 to which the mandrel I I 8 is attached in axial relationship, has a sliding bearing fit within the bushing I |4 so as to hold the mandrel I I6 centrally located within the bushing and permit rotative as well as axial movement therein.

'I'he shank or head ||5 is integrally formed on one end of a horizontally disposed shaft ||1 which is slidably and rotatably journaled in upstanding' spaced brackets I |8 and I I9 and in a similar bearing |20 located adjacent the opposite'end thereof. Means are provided for rotating the shaft ||1 and comprise a gear wheel |2| keyed to the shaft I1 between the brackets I|8 and- ||9 so as to be rotatably fixed thereto but permit axial sliding movement of the shaft through the gear wheel.

The gear |2| meshes Vwith a mutilated gear |22 which is of larger size and has suilicient number of teeth thereon to impart one complete rotation to the gear |2| and then permit a time period before again rotating it. The mutilated fear |22 is fixed` on a horizontally disposed counter-shaft. |23, which is journaled adjacent one end in the bracket ||8 and at' a point adjacent its other end in a bearing bracket |24. The countershaft |23,. at the end thereof adjacent the bearing |24, is .provided with a bevelgear |25 which meshes with and is driven by a similar-bevel gear I 26 rigidly fixed to a cross countershaft |21, which is .journaled in bearings |28 and |29 located adjacent the Opposite ends thereof. The shaft |21 is in the same horizontal pla'ne as the shaft ||1 and, as shown nin Fig.' 3 of the drawings, the end of the shaft ||1 opposite to the shank head |I5, is bifurcated and provided with a roller |30 journaled between the arms of the bifurcation and which is engaged by a cam |3| fixed on the shaft |21` for imparting axial movement to the shaft ||1 at a time when the mutilatedv gear |22 is not in engagement with and rotating the gear |2|.

Rotation is imparted to the shaft |21 by a link belt |32 which engages a pulley wheel |33 fixed on one end of the shaft 21 outward from the bearing |29. The belt |32. is driven by a pulley wheel |34 of a speed reduction unit |35. Power is imparted to the speed reduction unit. |35 by an electric motor |36 which is connected thereto by shafts |31 and |38 and a flexible coupling |39 which interconnects .adjacent ends of said shafts. 'I'he motor |36 is rigidly. bolted to the shelf |1.

Snap switches |40 and |4| are mounted on the front plate I8 for controlling circuits to the electric motors 4| and |36 respectively.

Means are provided for vstripping the rollers from around the mandrel ||6 upon retraction of the .shaft ||1 from the position in which it is shown in Fig. il of the drawings, and comprise a pairof stripper plates |42 and |43 xedly at-` tached to rock shafts |44 and |45 respectively. The shafts |44 and |45 are interconnected by meshed gears |46 and |41 respectively so that rotation of one of the shafts will cause similar rotation of the other shaft but in the opposite direction.

The upper ends of the stripper plates |42 and |43 are cut out in semi-circular shape, as shown in |48 and |49 respectively, so as to snugly surround the .mandrel ||6 and engage behind the rollers which arefdisposed around the mandrel so that the rollers are stripped therefrom upon retraction of the mandrel from the position shown in Fig. 11.

As shown most clearly in Figs. 3 and 5, rocking movement of the shaft is secured through the medium` of a lever `|50 which is rigidly afdxed to said shaft and one end of which is engaged by a cam |5| fixed to the end of the shaft |23 which protrudes beyond the bearing I8. Contact is maintained between the long end of the lever` |50 and cam |5| by a helical tension spring |52, one end of which is anchored to the top plate I5 and the other end of which is attached to the short arm |53 of the lever |50.

. Means are provided for aiding the operator ofthe machine to hold a roller bearing member in position to receive the rollers from the mandrel ||6, and comprises an upstanding bracket |54 rigidly mounted on the top plate |5 by cap screws |55. The upper end of the bracket |54 is provided with a frusto-spherical socket opening |56 of such contour as to snugly receive a bearing member |51- and hold the same in concentric registry with the mandrel 6.

The interior of the bearing member 51 is preferably provided with a coating of cup grease so as to retain the rollers 52 therein upon withdrawal of the mandrel 6. Such withdrawal of the mandrel is accomplished by a helical compression spring |58 whichsurrounds the shaft ||1 and bears between the fixed bracket ||9 and a collar |59 which is secured to the shaft ||1. so as to normally maintain the roller |30 of shaft ||1 in contact with the cam |3| at all times.

In the operation of this machine, a quantity of rollers 52 are placed in the hopper I9 and thel cover plate 2| placed thereon. The motor 4| is then started which, through link belt 42, counter-shaft 35, belt 34 and shaft 21, will rotate the bottom 26 of the hopper and thus by centrifugal force align a series of rollers 52 about the side wall 20 of the hopper in the lower corner thereof at the junction of the side wall and rotatlng bottom 26. These aligned rollers are proected into the discharge conduit 45 by cenrifugal forcel and the flow of rollers into the conduit 'is aided bythe agitator comprising the cam finger 41 on disc 46, which is rotated through the link belt 50 from the shaft 21.

It is to be noted that the direction of rotation of the hopper bottom 26 and the disc 46 are the same so that the lug 41, as it passes into the hopper, moves in a direction opposite to the direction of' movement of the rollers being fed into the discharge conduit so as to strike against the rollers and keep them back and otherwise agitate them.

As the rollers pass through the discharge conduit 45 they enter the passageway at the terminating end thereof and abut against the opposite wall of the passage. Movement -of theA rollers down the vertical slot and through the restricted opening formed by the sloping surface 91 of block 88 and the adjacent end 90 of the spring pressed plate 9| is accomplished by vertical movement vof the fingers 58 and 59 which are attached to the rocker arms and 6|.

Movement is imparted to these rockerarms to cause reciprocation of the fingers by the push rods 10 and 14 which are normally held in spaced relation by the compression spring 16. Axial movement of the push rod assembly is caused by the cam 13 which is driven from the counter'- shaft 35 through the belt 86. In the event one of the rollers should not be projected completely into the vertical slot or passageway from the discharge conduit 45, such roller will not be broken or bent by reason of the flexible drive through the compression spring 15 or if the roller is only partway across the passageway, the finger 58, which has a shorter contacting end than the finger 59, may move downwardly independently of the finger 59 by reason of the rocking yoke pivoted to the top end of the push rod 10 and through which movement is imparted to the rocker arms 6|) and 5| against the tension of springs l and 8|.

As rollers 52 are fed downwardly through the restricted opening and into the magazine they will at first continue their downward movement in the slot ||3 until contact is made with the mandrel ||5 which at that time is in the position shown in Fig. of the drawings. Continued feeding of the rollers will cause the follower |04 to move to the left, as viewed in Flg's. 9 and l2, until the follower |04 uncovers the overflow slot |35, at which time any further or additional rollers drop vdownwardly into the box I0.

At this time the motor |35 is started which, through the shafts |31 and |38, gear reduction unit |35, and belt |32; will cause rotation of the cross counter-shaft |21. Rotation of this shaft will in turnfthrough the medium of the beveledv gears and |25, ca use rotation of the countershaft |23, which carries the mutilated gear 22. @When the teeth on the gear |22 engage with the teeth on the gear I2|, which is slidably keyed to the shaft ||1, one complete rotation` of the shaft ||1 takes place, such rotation causing the rollers 52 to be'carried around the mandrel H5 so as to completely ll the space betweenrthe mandrel and the interior of Y the' cylindrical bushing ||4. The mechanism is so timed that at this point the shaft ||1 is moved axially to the right from the position shown in Fig.,l0` to the position shown in Fig. 11 by the cam"'|3| of shaft |21.

As the shaft ||1 begins to move axially, the operator places the bearing member |51 in the socket |55 so as to series of rollers which are grouped around the periphery of have been projected into the member |51 by the mandrel, theA relieved side 4of the cam |5| is in position to permit rocking movement of lever |55 -which ls caused by the tension spring- |52, such rocking movement causing rotation of the shafts |44 and |45 in opposite directions by reason of the meshed gears |45 and |41 fixed to said shafts. Rotation of the shafts causes the upper ends of the stripper plates |42 and- |43 to move inwardly and surround the mandrel immediately back of the rollersthereon and remain in this position until the compressionspring |58 returns the shaft ||1 to the position shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings, at which time the cam |5| actuates the lever |50 to restore the stripper plates to the position shown in full lines in.Fig. 9.

The capacity of the vertical slot ||3 and of the magazine I||| is such that a sufllcient number of rollers are provided to quickly fill the' space around the mandrel upon rotationV thereof, the feeding of the rollers downwardly and around the 65 which is 4 be in position to receive thel the mandrel I6. When the rollers mandrel being accelerated by the spring pressed follower |04.

The layer of cup grease around the inner periphery of the bearing member |51 retains the rollers 52 therein while the operator removes'the bearing member from the socket |56 and during the time until the bearing is assembled on its trunnion.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

We claim:

l. In a roller bearing assembling machine, a rotatable and axially reciprocable mandrel, means for supplying rollers to the mandrel, means for` rotating the mandrel to cause a plurality of rollers to encircle the same, means for moving the mandrel axially in one direction to move the rollers grouped therearound to a bearing member, stripper blades operatively associated with the mandrel, means for moving the blades toward the mandrel for engagement back of the rollers thereon and means for moving the mandrel axially in the opposite direction for stripping therefrom the rollers engaged by the blades.

2. In a roller bearing assembling machine, a rotatable and axially movable mandrel, a housing surrounding the mandrel in spaced relation thereto, means for supplying rollers to the space surrounding themandrel, means for rotating the mandrel to cause rollers to be positioned therearound, means for moving the mandrel axially to transferv the positioned rollers from the space around the mandrel to a bearing member, means for returning the mandrel to its former position and means for positively stripping the rollers from the mandrel during such return movement.

3. In a roller bearing assembling machine, a rotatable and axially movable mandrel, a housing surrounding the mandrel in spaced relation thereto, means for supplying rollers to the space surrounding the mandrel, means for rotating the mandrel to cause rollers to be positioned therearound, means for moving the mandrel axially to transfer the positioned rollers from the'space around the mandrel to a bearing member, stripper blades operatively associated with the mandrel, means for moving the blades toward the mandrel for engagement back of the rollers thereon, and means for moving the mandrel axially in the opposite direction for stripping therefrom the rollers engaged by the blades.

j4. A roller bearing assembling machine, comprising an axially movable and rotatable mand rel, means surrounding the mandrel to provide a roller receiving space, means for supplying rollers to said mandrel and disposing them in said spacemeans for rotatingfthe mandrel as the rollers are supplied so as to -distribute them around the mandrel, power actuated means for axially moving the mandrel after Asaid space is filled Withrollers and moving the mandrel and rollers rinto a bearing disposed to receive them, means for subsequently reversing the axial movement of the mandrel, and means for holding the rollers in the bearing during return movement of the mandrel. t 5. A roller bearing assembling machine, comprising an axially movable and rotatable mandrel, means surrounding the mandrel to provide a roller receiving space, means Afor supplying rollers to said mandrel and disposing them in 2,031,417 said space, -means for rotating the mandrel as the rollers are supplied so as to distribute them around the mandrel, power actuated means for axially mov-ing the mandrel after said space is lled with rollers and moving the mandrel and rollers into a bearing disposed to receive them, means for subsequently reversing the axial movement ofthe mandrel, means for holding the rollers in the bearing during return movement of the mandrel, and means for interrupting rotary movement of the mandrel during axial movement thereof.

6. A roller bearing assembling machine, comprising an axially movable and rotatable mandrel, means surrounding the mandrel to provide a roller receiving space, means for supply- -ing rollers to said mandrel and disposing them in said lspace, means for rotating the mandrel as the rollers-are` supplied so as to distribute them around the mandrel, power actuated means for axially moving the mandrel after said Aspace is lled with 4rollers and moving the mandrel and rollers into a bearing disposed to receive them, means for subsequently reversing the axial movement of the mandrel, power actuated means for holding the rollers in the bearing during reo turn movement of the mandrel, and means for rendering rotary movement of the mandrel, axial movement thereof, and theholding means operable in a denite order. i

7. In a roller bearing assembling machine,` a rotatable and axially slidable mandrel, means for supplying the rollers to the mandrel, a housing in spacedirelaton to the mandrel and providing a space' for the rollers, means for rotating the mandrel to ll the space therearound with rollers, means for moving thev mandrel axially to place the rollers in position on a bearing member, and means intermediate, said bearing and said housing for stripping the rollers from'theU-mandrel upon reverse movement of the latter.

8. In a roller bearing assembling machine having an axially slidable rotating mandrel clisposed within a housing spaced concentrically relative thereto and against which roller bearings are conveniently assembled around the mandrei, in combination, means for axially projecting and retracting said mandrel relative to its position within said housing, and stripping means positioned exteriorly of said housing to prevent said rollers projected with said mandrel from returning with the mandrel when it is retracted.

9. In a roller bearing assembling machine, means for supplying rollers, duct means for receiving and conducting the rollers in side by side relation, means for assembling the rollers in bearing elements at one end of the duct means, means for automatically pushing rollers intothe duct means as they are supplied by the rst means, and means including a ductfor accommodating excess rollers moved by the pushing means.

10. In a roller bearing assembling machine, means for supplying rollers, d/uct means for receiving and conducting the rollers in side by side relation, means for assembling the rollers in bearing elements at one end of the duct means, means for automatically pushing rollers into the duct means as they are supplied by the rst means, means including a duct for accommodating excess rollers moved by the pushing means, and resilient means in the last mentioned duct for constantly urging the rollers therein towards the rst duct.

il. In a roller bearing assembling machine, means `ior supplying rollers, a passageway for conducting the 'rollers in side by `side relation, a pair of passageways arranged in V shape and at the apex communicating with the first passageway, means for pushing rollers into the first passageway, and spring pressed means in one of the angularly related passageways for permitting excess rollers to move into the passageway but normally causing the rollers moved by the pushing means to enter the other of the angularly related passageways. v

12. In a roller bearing assembling machine, means for supplying rollers, means including a duct for receiving the rollers, in side by side relation, means including a second duct for receiving excess rollers removed from the first duct,

means in the second duct fornormally causing the rollers as supplied to enter the first duct, but allowing rollers to move into the second duct ii' movement of the rollers into the rst duct is impeded.

13. In a roller bearing assembling machine, means for supplying rol1ers,means including a duct for receiving the rollers in side by side relation, means includingva second duct for receiving excess rollers removed from the first duct, means in the second duct for normally causing the rollers as supplied to enter the first duct, but allowing rollers to move into the second duct if movement of the rollers into the first duct is irnpeded, and means communicating with the second duct for allowing a discharge of rollers therefrom in the event the number of rollers therein exceeds a predetermined amount.

14. Ina roller bearing assembling machine, means including a duct for conducting rollers in side by side relation, a roller reservoir communieating with the duct and adapted to receive rollers in side by side relation, and means normally urging rollers in the reservoir towards the duct.

15. In a roller bearing assembling machine. means including a duct for conducting rollers, means for feeding and urging rollers through the duct, means providing an escape passageway communicating with the duct at the advance side of the feeding means, and means for causing rollers to move into the passageway in the event continued movement of rollers through the duce is impeded during operation of the feeding means. 16. In a, roller bearing assembling machine, means including a duct for conducting rollers,

means for feeding and urging rollers through the means for feeding and urging rollers through the' duct, means providing an escap'e passageway communicating with the duct at the advance side of the feeding means, means for causing rollers to `move into the passageway in the event continued movement of rollers through the duct isimpeded during operation of the feeding means, and means normally urging any rollers in the passageway to return to the duct, and to continue the movement' of rollers through the duct in the event there is delay in the action of the feeding means.

FRANK KETCHAM. GEQRGE E. DUNN.

iid 

